When tracking your order, did you get a message saying “USPS in possession of item”? Don’t worry because it doesn’t mean anything bad. Sometimes, the tracking page changes the package status, which you may be worried about because you don’t know what it means or how it affects your order.
A tracking number is assigned to identify packages individually and uniquely, which will help update the tracking guide. USPS wants to be as specific as possible about the package information, which is why the different statuses can be confusing.
What does USPS in possession of item status mean?
Shipping a package under the United States Postal Service will change status depending on how the order progresses through the warehouse receipt, scanning, and redistribution process. The order tracking guide will help you know each step in time.
The term USPS In Possession Of Item signals that the package is in customs to go through the inspection system before being sent to the post office for the next local shipment.
Another option that may be happening if you get the USPS In Possession Of Item message is that the package is being shipped from overseas and is awaiting customs approval to continue to the domestic route.
This means that for international packages, this message represents that it is being inspected for entry into the country. For domestic shipments, the USPS already physically possesses the item.
If the shipment is international, the status will change once all the paperwork has been cleared through customs. It is not time-consuming unless there is an inconsistency in the documents submitted by the shipper.
The notice will soon be sent to the local post office if the notice is with a domestic package. This USPS Awaiting Item status is usually displayed after the Pre-Shipment info is sent to USPS.
What if I have no update in my tracking?
If several days have passed and you have not received an update in your package tracking waybill since the USPS In Possession Of Item message appeared, it may mean that your package has not cleared customs.
Cases of delay may be due to an error in the package data, so you need to contact the person or company that made the shipment to rectify any possible errors before entering the U.S. to avoid further confusion.
It is also possible that the package has already left customs but has not yet been scanned at the stopping points, so there is no official information on the shipment’s status. This means that USPS has not been able to update the tracking guide.
How many days do I have to wait after the USPS In Possession of Item status begins?
This process at customs or before being scanned should not take longer than two weeks. According to USPS policy, an order should not remain undelivered for two weeks. Therefore, you must contact the shipper or USPS directly.
Most commonly, this is an address error. If the shipper cannot provide the address information correctly, the package will remain in USPS possession or customs. It is recommended to contact USPS customer service for the correct status.
If the ten business days of USPS In Possession of Item have not passed, do not worry, it is within the established customs inspection time. Upon clearance, you will be notified, it may take a little while, but it is nothing to worry about.
It is time to contact USPS customer service if it follows the same status in the tracking guide for ten business days.
What other reason could affect my USPS In Possession of Item?
If you contact the sender of the shipment and they explain that there was no problem with the address, other reasons may be affecting your USPS status.
The package may be damaged or not in the condition necessary to be admitted for customs inspection. The USPS will contact the shipper to discuss the condition of the package to verify that it was not damaged in transit.
Another option is that Customs may feel that missing information is needed to clear the package. They will also contact you to request additional information before clearing the package to another post office in the country.
What should I do next?
The best thing to do next is to wait and constantly check the package’s tracking information. If your package is not international and spends 3-5 business days in USPS In Possession of Item status, you should call USRP customer service to inquire about the package’s status.
This is only if your package is domestic, as it should not take long to be scanned, nor should it have to go through any customs inspections. When you contact USPS, they will let you know if it is still in the warehouse or if the status has not been updated for some reason.
If your package is international, you should be a little more patient. The customs inspection process may take a little longer and will also depend on the volume of packages currently being received at US Customs.
Due to all potential U.S. variants, it is best to wait ten business days, although it is not common to wait that long. The next step is to contact USPS to find out what the status resolution will be.
For years I have studied American finance regulations. All the information in this blog is sourced from official or contrasted sources from reliable sites.
Salesforce Certified SALES & SERVICE Cloud Consultant in February 2020, Salesforce Certified Administrator (ADM-201), and Master degree in “Business Analytics & Big Data Strategy” with more than 13 years of experience in IT consulting.